Branding is often the most talked about part of the overall marketing mix. In today’s world, where competition (in almost every industry) is pretty stiff, creating a strong brand recall is the primary target of every business out there.
But, what is the magic formula that makes brands tick? The truth is, there is no magic formula!
There are several subtle yet powerful elements that work together to create a sound brand recall. While advertising, social media messaging, consumer engagement etc play major roles in creating a strong brand, there are many subtle yet strong branding techniques that a business can employ while building their website or in their day-to-day communication.
So, here are three subtle yet strong branding techniques that can go a long way in creating better brand recall and help your business grow!
Think of any major brand and you can immediately recall its logo in technicolor.
More interestingly, when done right, consumers can recall the brand with a mere glimpse of the brand color, logo or even part of the logo!
For example,
None of the above images are the full logo of the concerned brand. But, for almost everyone out there, these images are likely to create strong recall for the respective brands.
How is this achieved?
With consistent use of the logos and brand colors (in every communication) over the years, these brands have created a strong recall.
No matter the size of your business, you can take a leaf out of the big boys’ rule book.
Now, that does not mean, you’ll have to plaster your logo everywhere and paint everything with your brand color!
‘Less is more’ is the mantra here.
Here are some tips on how to use your logo and brand color to create a strong brand recall.
Everyone loves a great mascot!
Mascots are often quirky, fun, easy to remember and most importantly capable of giving your brand a personality.
While there’s no rule at all for choosing a mascot for your brand (Reddit has this strange alien creature, and I still love it!), keeping it relevant to your business and what it offers can be a great way to create a brand persona.
Here, MailChimp can be a great example!
MailChimp’s mascot Freddie, is a friendly chimpanzee who delivers mails. This postman chimp goes perfectly with what the business does as an e-mail marketing platform.
MaDonald’s Ronald, the funny clown with red hair and yellow clothes is another great example of how you can portray your brand personality and create a stronger recall.
No matter whether you are running a corner café or teaching a cookery class or creating amazing software for your clients, having an interesting mascot can lend your business a face and personality like nothing else!
Typography is probably the most underestimated element in branding. However, when used with thought, typography has the power to create an amazing user experience which in turn translates into brand identity.
Medium is a pro in this segment. The website uses classic fonts such as Cambria and Times New Roman to create the beautiful user experience.
While typography may not be the most noticeable branding element, it is definitely the underlying current that keeps all the branding elements together.
Clever use of iconography is another great way of creating brand identity and in turn brand recall.
Software container platform, Docker offers a great example for use of iconography. Docker’s logo resembles a whale icon, and throughout their website, the whale is used in subtle yet witty ways to enhance brand identity and recall.
You can take leaf out of Docker’s book and focus on a particular icon to represent your business too!
Make sure to use the icons in an unobtrusive way that blends in with your overall branding and you are off creating strong brand recall for your business.
Branding is definitely not a one-day game and you cannot expect to see a sudden rise in brand recall immediately after employing some awesome branding techniques.
However, with these subtle yet powerful branding techniques implemented on your website, landing pages, inventory documents etc, you can certainly take small by bold step towards creating a stronger brand recall for your business.